Fountain toothbrush



IN VENTOR. aow/e- PERM/A6 ATTDRNIEYS Unite `2 ctaims. (ci. is-isfn This invention relates to fountain toothbrushes of the type having hollow handles with a reservoir in the handle and in particular a toothbrush, oval shape in cross section having a hollow handle with a conical shaped inner end and with an offset brush head extended from the said conical shaped inner end wherein a stem of the brush head is held in the end of the handle by pins extended from the sides thereof that pass through grooves in an opening in the end of the handle and wherein a filling plug positioned under a cap at the outer end of the handle is held in a bushing under the cap in a similar manner.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a fountain toothbrush that is an improvement over the powder dispensing toothbrush of my prior Patent No. 2,474,860 in that means is provided for removably mounting the head in the handle and the valve arrangement in the outer end of the handle is replaced by a simple form of filling plug.

Various types of fountain toothbrushes have been provided but where liquid dentifrice is used it is difficult to clean the passages between the reservoir in the handle and the channel through the brush head and it is particularly diicult to clean devices of this type where threads are used to hold the parts in assembled relation. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates an improved type of construction for fountain toothbrushes wherein a brush head is removably mounted in the end of a handle by pins on the sides of a hollow stem thereof which pass through slots in the sides of the opening in the end of the handle and in which the filling plug is secured in the opposite end in a similar manner.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved type of construction for fountain toothbrushes wherein a head is removably attached to one end of a hollow handle and a filling plug is removably mounted in the opposite end.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of fountain toothbrush in which either powder or liquid dentifrice may be used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fountain toothbrush having a removable head, with a removable plug in the head and also a removable filling plug in the outer end of the handle, which is of a simple and economical construction.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing wherein:

Figure l is a partial longitudinal section through the improved fountain brush being taken on line l--l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a similar section looking at right angles to the section shown in Figure l being taken on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the brush head also being taken on line 2-2 of Figure l and with the handle and cap of the brush omitted.

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Figure 4 is a detail in cross section on an enlarged scale showing a plug and supply tube at the inner end of the brush head channel and with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the handle of the brush taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2 with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a detail in cross section on a further enlarged scale taken on line 6 6 of Figure 5 illustrating the construction of the plug mounting in the outer end of the handle.

Figure 7 is a detail in cross section taken on line 7--7 of Figure 5 showing the plug retainer in the outer end of the handle.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating the plug removably mounted in the outer end of the handle.

Figure 9 is a detail showing a section taken on line 9--9 of Figure 2 illustrating the openings from the reservoir to the channel through the brush head, and showing the ribs for supporting the sleeve in the end of the handle.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved fountain toothbrush of this invention includes a handle 10, a cap 11, a brush head 12, a closure cap 13, on the outer end of the handle, and a filling plug 14.

The handle 1t) is oval shape in cross section, as illustrated in Figure 5 and the inner end is provided with a conical shaped section 15 which is formed with a recess 16 in the outer end, and a centrally disposed sleeve 17 through which an opening 1S extends.

The sleeve 17 is supported from the sides of the handle by ribs 5, as shown in Figure 9.

The brush head 12 is provided with an offset stem 19 having a channel 2Q extended therethrough and a flange or bead 21 with a conical shaped outer surface is positioned on the stem and mounted with the under surface resting against the end surface of the section 15 of the handle. A packing washer 22 is positioned in the recess 16 to seal the connection between the stern of the head and handle.

The inner end of the stem 19, as indicated by the numeral 23 is of reduced diameter and pins 24 and 25 extend from the sides thereof. These pins are positioned to pass through slots 26 and 27 in the sides of the opening 18 in the end of the handle.

The sleeve 17 is provided with side openings 28 that register with openings 29 in the section 23 of the stem thereby providing drainage for liquid dentifrice in the reservoir 30 of the handle with the brush end of the toothbrush held downwardly.

The channel 2i) that extends into the head 12 of the brush carries the dentifrice from the reservoir 30 to the head and the end of the channel in the brush head opens into a chamber 31 in a plug 32 into which the inner end of a nipple 33 that extends into bristles 34 of the brush head, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, extends and openings 34a in the wall of the inner end of the nipple 33 provide communicating means between the channel 2t) and the interior of the nipple through the chamber 31. With the parts arranged in this manner the plug 32 may readily be removed for cleaning the opening in the brush head. The nipple 33 is provided. with a rounded outer end as indicated by the numeral 35 to prevent scratching the teeth or gums.

The filling plug 14 is mounted in a retainer 36 in the opposite end of the handle with a flange 37 of the retainer secured in a recess 33 in the wall of the handle 10 and an opening in the retainer through which the cylindrical section 39 of the plug extends is provided with slots 40 through which pins 41 on the inner end of the section 39 pass as the plug is inserted in the retainer. The retainer 36 is provided with a funnel-shaped outer surface 42 to facilitate filling the reservoir in the handle. When the pins have passed through the inner end of the retainer the plug is rotated through an angle of 30 degrees whereby the pins snap into recesses 43 in the end of the sleeve 36 and holdv the plug in the retainer. rThe plug is provided with a flange 44 that bears against a resilient washer 45 positioned between the flange and outer surface of the retainer and the washer provides resilient means for retaining the pins 41 against the inner end of the retainer.

The plug 14 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 46 with outlet openings 47 extended lthrough the wall thereof and with the plug turned so that the pins 4.1 drop into the slots 4S and 49 in the inner surface of the wall `ot' the retainer powder for use on the tooth brush may be removed from the handle through the openings 47.

When it is .desired to dispense powder from the outer end of the reservoir of the handle the closure cap 13 is removed and the powder may be dispended by snaking the handle. l

The closure cap 13 is frictionally mounted in the end of the handle and the cap is provided with a U-shape spring clip 50 having spring fingers that are positioned to receive a knob 51 on the end of the plug 14. The plug is provided with an annular recess 52 into which projections 53 and 54 on the ends of. the spring lingers snap to retain the cap in position on the end of the handle. The spring clip 50 is provided with an elongated opening 55 that holds the spring over a T-shaped projection or stud 56 in the end of the cap. The clip is placed over the stud and turned through an angle of 90 degrees to secure it upon the stud, which with the cap Vmade of plastic is molded in position.

The cap 11 is provided with a clip 57 on a band 58 and this cap provides a cover over the brush on the opposite end of the handle. The cap 11 is provided with a band 59 that extends over the inner end of the handle for frictionally retaining the cap on the handle, and the handle is provided with a spring metal locating band 60, that is embedded in an annular recess 61.

With the parts arranged in this manner the reservoir 30 of the handle 10 is filled or partly iilled with liquid dentifrice or powder and with liquid dentifrice in the reservoir the brush head rnay be rotated until openings 29 register with the openings 28 through the sleeve 17 whereby the dentifrice passes through the channel 20 and into the bristles of the brush, or if powder is used the plug 14 may be actuated so that powder will pass therethrough and by shaking the handle the powder may be applied to the palm of the hand and applied to the brush by the hand.

By this means the dentifrice may be readily applied to the brush head and the reservoir may be sealed when the brush is not in use.

it will be understood that modifications may be niade in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fountain toothb1-ushhaving a hollow handle oval shape in cross section and having a conical shaped inner end with a coaxial sleeve thereon provided with an axial opening, a brush head having an oiset stern with a channel in the stern positioned in said axial opening, longitudinally extending slots in said sleeve coextensive with the axial opening therein, pins in the lower end of said stern below the lower end of said sleeve and extending transversely of the axis of said stern for retaining the 1orush head in said handle, said brush head being adapted to be rotated so that said pins will register with the longitudinally extending slots in the sleeve to permit insertion into or rernoval of said brush head from said handle.

2. A fountain toothbrush having a hollow handle oval shape in cross section and having a conical shaped inner end with a coaxial sleeve thereon provided with an axial opening, a brush head having an oiiset stern with a channel in the stein positioned in said axial opening, said sleeve having diametrically opposed openings therein communicating with said axial opening, for the passage of dentifrice from the sleeve to the channel of the stern of the brush head, longitudinally extending slots in said sleeve coextensive with the axial opening therein, pins in the lower end of said stem below the lower end of said sleeve and extending transversely of the axis of said stern for retaining the brush head in said handle, said brush head. being adapted to be rotated so that said pins will register with the longitudinally extending slots in the sleeve to permit insertion into or removal of said brush head from said handle.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 188,659 Newton Mar. 20, 1877 1,074,522 Nelson Sept. 30, 1913 1,082,839 Wurfschmidt Dec. 30, 1913 1,260,726 Spengler Mar. 26, 1918 1,834,877 Stanton Dec. l, 1931 1,855,572 Gabriel Apr. 26, 1932 2,107,242 Gates Feb. l, 1938 2,317,111 lerwas Apr. 20, 1943 2,474,860 Perwas July 5, 1949 2,507,419 Perwas May 9, 1950 2,598,843 Sherwood June 3, 1952 

